IU campuses throughout the state celebrate Black History Month

IU campuses around the state will host discussions, performances, readings, film screenings and more throughout February in honor of Black History Month.

Most events are free and open to the public and are aimed at highlighting the accomplishments of black Americans in every area throughout history.

The annual African American Dance Company Workshop is part of this year's Black History Month celebration at IU Bloomington.

Black History Month was established in 1976, as a part of the United States Bicentennial, and is now also recognized by the United Kingdom and Canada.

Highlights from this year’s camps events include a dance performance based upon the Civil Rights Movement at IU Northwest, an IPFW trip to Cincinnati to visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, a "Lift Every Voice" concert at IU South Bend and Black Knowledge Bowls at IU Bloomington and IUPUI.

IU Bloomington

IU Bloomington's monthlong celebration, themed "Let's Move! Freedom and Wellness in Civil Society," kicked off Feb. 3 and continues throughout the month with a performance by the African American Choral Ensemble, the Black Knowledge Bowl and 16th Annual African American Dance Company Workshop on Feb. 21 and 22 at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, among many other events. In connection with a national effort, the 12th annual African American Read-In, Bloomington high school students shared their favorite poems and original works about the black experience on Feb. 3.

IUPUI

At IUPUI, activities include a speaker series on transforming the lives of students of color through education; a table reading titled "Conspiracy of Silence: Sportswriters and the Long Campaign to Desegregate Baseball; a Black History Month Knowledge Bowl Competition; and a spoken word and open mic night, among other activities.

IU Northwest

IU Northwest will host screenings of "The Abolitionists," "Slavery by Another Name" and "The Freedom Riders" as well as a dance recital based upon the Civil Rights Movement performed by the Wirt/Emerson Concert Choir and Dance Department from the School of Visual and Performing Arts, located in Gary.

IPFW

Among other activities during IPFW's African-American Heritage Month are a film series; a community conversation titled "Fathers: The First Class Seat" on the significance of fatherhood and African-Americans; and a trip to visit the Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.

IU South Bend

The Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts celebrates Black History Month with its sixth annual “Lift Every Voice: Celebrating the African American Spirit” concert Feb. 22. The South Bend Symphonic Choir and IU South Bend Gospel Choir will be joined by three guest artists and the concert will feature the world premiere of a choral composition written by Julius Miller, one of the school’s talented students.

﻿IU Southeast

On Feb. 10, three IU Southeast biology professors will participate in the panel discussion "The Science of HeLa Cells for Beginners," sponsored by the Common Experience. The discussion, which takes place 12:20 p.m. on the Library Third Floor, is based off of the New York Times bestseller "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," by Rebecca Skloot. The Common Experience will also sponsor the screening of "Miss Evers' Boys" at 6 p.m. in UC 127, and at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27, the Student African-American Brotherhood and Phi Beta Sigma will sponsor the event "Black Male Graduate School Experience."

IU Kokomo

Maxine Brown, founder of the Indiana African-American Heritage trail, will discuss African Americans' struggles throughout Indiana throughout as part of IU Kokomo's celebration of Black History Month. On Feb. 11, a panel will discuss on what it was like to live during segregation, and former skinhead and author Frank Meeink will give a talk 12 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Kresge Auditorium.